By Christian Radnedge
LONDON (Reuters) - Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs stunned the World Championships by winning gold and silver in a dramatic women's 3,000 metres steeplechase final on Friday, the first Americans to get medals in the event.
The duo kept up a fierce pace with their African rivals before kicking on courageously on the final lap. Coburn launched her attack in the last 200 metres, leaping over the final water jump and surging down the straight to win in a Championship record time of 9 minutes 2.58 seconds.
Frerichs finished in a personal best of 9:03.77 to complete a brilliant one-two for the U.S. Both times were well under the American national record, set by Coburn at the Olympics last year.
Kenya's Hyvin Jepkemoi, the 2015 world champion, took the bronze medal.